The Costa Riviera is a 1,000-passenger ship that could bring as many as 50,000 passengers to the port and pour at least $17.5 million into the economy through port fees and other pre- and post-cruise purchases.

The vessel, which is currently undergoing extensive renovations in Genoa, Italy -- home of parent company Costa Armatori -- will sail to the Caribbean and U.S. Virgin Islands on seven-day cruises.

"The significant factor is that the ship will be there year-round and travel agents and the local market will know that we have a product to offer every Saturday," explained port spokesman Larry Dessler. "It is very important to have a year-round cruise under our belt. Most of our other vessels sail seasonally."

Port Everglades is the third-largest passenger cruise port in the world, behind Miami and San Juan. At capacity, the Costa Riviera would boost the port's passenger total by 50 percent, up from the 210,000 passengers that sailed from the port in 1984.